


The Start of a Good Partnership

by alynwa



Series: Picfic Tuesday Challenge [48]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-26 22:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alynwa/pseuds/alynwa





	The Start of a Good Partnership

Illya and Napoleon had been partners for approximately four months when Napoleon invited the Russian to his apartment for dinner so they could finish up their mission report in a more comfortable setting.  They stopped into the A&P supermarket to pick up something for Napoleon to cook for dinner.

“You want a salad, Partner Mine?”  When Illya nodded _yes,_ he picked up a really nice head of iceberg lettuce.  _I can make a wedge salad._ He turned around to ask Illya if he would like that and noticed him staring intensely at the apple section.  “You like apples?”

The blond reddened and said, “I’ve only had them a very few times in my life.  There was not a lot of fruit available when I was growing up.”  He stepped away from the fruit and began to walk toward the meat section.  “Are you planning to make steaks?”

Napoleon didn’t need to be hit on the head to know that his partner was deliberately changing the subject.  “Yes, I thought I’d grill porterhouses and corn on the cob out on the terrace.” 

“I think that is a good idea.” 

A few hours later found the men sitting at the kitchen table with their meal in front of them.  “One day, perhaps you will teach me how to make a meal like this one?”

“I don’t know, Tovarisch; I’ve seen some of your attempts at cooking.  I don’t know if I want to take a chance on you ruining my pots and pans or worse, burning down my kitchen.”

“I will fool you one day; I will learn how to cook a meal.”

Napoleon chuckled as he poured wine for both of them.  “Hope does spring eternal, indeed.  Let’s eat and get those reports finished.  I’m kicking you out no later than ten.”

The next morning, Illya got to work at seven – thirty and went straight to the labs.  He had three experiments in three different stages and wanted to check their progress.  As good as he was in the field, and he really enjoyed being an Enforcement Agent, he was equally comfortable in the lab developing new weaponry and tools to improve the life of Enforcement Agents.  He thought of his scientific background as his Plan B in the event he was no longer field qualified.  He had known agents as far back as his KGB days whose wounds prevented them from returning to active duty and they were never the same.  _As long as I have my mind, I will never be a useless liability to UNCLE._

He was writing notes on his pad when his stomach growled so loudly, he was surprised people in the lab next door hadn’t heard it.  He straightened up and checked his watch.  _Twelve – thirty?_     _No wonder I am hungry!_

He removed his lab coat and flung it across the stool he had been sitting on, put his jacket and headed off to the office he shared with his partner.  The door swished open to allow him to enter.  Napoleon was not there, but sitting on Illya’s desk was a modern plain white bowl of apples sitting on top of a note.  He slid the note out, fished his glasses out of his inner jacket pocket and placed them on his nose.  _Tovarisch,_ he read, _I stopped at the market this morning and these were begging to be brought to you.  Try not to eat them all at once.  Napoleon._

Smiling, he plucked one apple from the bowl and bit into it, relishing the juicy crunch as he chewed.  _Napoleon is working hard to be my friend.  I am learning to like him and maybe even to trust him.  This could become a very good partnership._ He picked up the phone and called Miss Rogers.  “Hello, is Mr. Solo in with Mr. Waverly?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Please inform him that I would like to meet him for lunch.”

“I will tell him and have him contact you when he emerges; Mr. Waverly has a one o’clock with someone else so it shouldn’t be that long.”

“Thank you, Miss Rogers.”  _Yes, this will be a good partnership, indeed._


End file.
